Rio prepares for 39th Annual Rio Grande Invitational

As always, the field of competition will be very good for the college, high school and junior high teams.

"It's amazing how it's grown over the years. I know the last couple of years we've had over 1,400 runners, close to 1,500 athletes in here," said Rio Grande Head Cross Country Coach Bob Willey. "When you get that many people as well as their parents and grandparents, aunts and uncles, we've got a hillside," Willey added. "It's always exciting to have (the event) and I think it's great for southeastern Ohio."

Willey said hosting this event is a great recruiting tool with all the high school and junior high students who will compete. "Getting the course ready is a lot of work, but it's exciting with the idea of having as many athletes as possible come to our campus," he said. "Coach (Dean) Rinehart, when he set it up, he set it up for recruiting purposes, that's one of our big recruiting tools, drawing tools here."

The list of teams competing on Saturday is as follows:

Men College Division: Rio Grande, Alderson Broaddus, Fairmont State, Kentucky Christian, Mountain State University, Ohio Valley University, Pikeville, WVU Institute of Technology, Indiana University East, Glenville State.

Women College Division: Rio Grande, Alderson Broaddus, Cedarville University, Fairmont University, Kentucky University, Mountain State University, Ohio Valley University, Pikeville, University of Charleston, Indiana University East, Glenville State, WV Tech.

Boy's High School Red Division (Best competition): Belpre, Portsmouth Clay, Proctorville Fairland, Stewart Federal Hocking, Lewisburg Greenbrier East, Hurricane, Ironton, Greenfield McClain, and Nelsonville-York, Racine Southern, McArthur Vinton County, Pataskala Watkins Memorial, Beloit West Branch, Winfield, Chillicothe Zane Trace, and Zanesville.

Boy's High School White Division (Good competition): Belpre, Char. Capital, Chesapeake, Portsmouth Clay, Crooksville, Gallipolis Gallia Academy, Circleville Logan Elm, Manchester, Minford, Oak Hill, Cheshire River Valley, South Webster, and St. Bernard-Elmwood Place, St. Mary's, Glouster Trimble, Waverly, Williamsport Westfall, Mowrystown Whiteoak, Williamstown, Zanesville.

Girl's High School Red Division: Crooksville, Proctorville Fairland, Stewart Federal Hocking, Gallipolis Gallia Academy, Lewisburg Greenbrier East, Hurricane, Ironton, Nelsonville-York, and Peebles, Racine Southern, Pataskala Watkins Memorial, Chillicothe Zane Trace, and Zanesville.

Girl's High School White Division: Belpre, Char. Capital, Chesapeake, Proctorville Fairland, Circleville Logan Elm, Manchester, Greenfield McClain, Minford, Oak Hill, Cheshire River Valley, South Webster, Racine Southern, and St. Bernard-Elmwood Place, St. Mary's, Glouster Trimble, Lucasville Valley, McArthur Vinton County, Waverly, Beloit West Branch, Williamsport Westfall, Mowrystown Whiteoak, Williamstown, Winfield, Zanesville.

The Schedule of Events

10 a.m. Women's College Division (5,000m)

10:40 a.m. Men's College Division (8,000m)

11:30 a.m. Jr. High Girls (3,200m)

12:05 p.m. Jr. High Boys (3,200m)

12:40 p.m. Varsity Girls (5,000m) - Red (seeded) - best competition

1:20 p.m. Varsity Girls (5,000m) - White (unseeded) - good competition

2:00 p.m. Varsity Boys (5,000m) - Red (seeded) - best competition

2:40 p.m. Varsity Boys (5,000m) - white (unseeded) - good competition